Our New Youth Minister

AMANDA WOYAK

Hi, my name is Amanda Woyak and I am your student’s new Youth Minister for Senior High Youth Group. I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. If you attend Saturday evening mass, then you have probably seen me up in the choir or behind the piano. I have been part of the Holy Disciples community since I was two years old and I don’t plan on going anywhere any time soon.

When I graduated from high school, I attended Eastern Washington University for two years, and then transferred to the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) where I am currently finishing up my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Last year, I went through the Adult Confirmation Program (RCIA), which blessed me with so many opportunities to learn about Christ and grow in my faith, personally and publically. It was a great experience to refresh my commitment to my faith and my church community.

I decided to take the part-time Senior High Youth Ministry position here at Holy Disciples because not only do I love devoting my time to God, but I am excited about helping high school students find and grow in their faith. As someone who graduated from high school in 2016, the struggles of high school are still relatively fresh in my mind, and I hope to create an environment where students feel safe, have fun, and learn about how amazing God’s overwhelming love truly is with a general understanding of where they are at in their lives.

My favorite bible verse is, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.​ “Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.​” This is the guide I am using as I walk into Senior High Youth Group this year. This is the kind of message I hope to convey to your student with the intention that they will learn about a God who loves and cares deeply for them, who knows all that they are going through, that there is a bigger plan in motion for them, and that there is always someone looking out for them.

I am so blessed to have volunteers on my leadership team this year: Jennifer Woyak, Michael
Hodson and Cody Lynn. Jennifer, Cody and I volunteered last year under the direction of Phil and Carly Cappetto. We learned so much from them and hope to inspire the students as they did. Jennifer is also a student at UWT and will graduate this year with a Bachelor’s in Spanish and a minor in Human Rights. Cody is a Grad student at PLU, earning his Master’s in Education. Michael taught Faith Formation on Saturdays last year and looks forward to working with the high school students this year. Without these volunteers, I wouldn’t be able to do this job, and for them, I am so grateful.

I invite you to a parent meeting on Sunday, October 6th at 7:00 p.m. so I can better explain our program and enlist your help as chaperones, drivers for field trips, and providing meals.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me. There is also a Facebook page where we will be actively posting updates and photos of the activities we do at Youth Group. I encourage you to join! Type into your search bar: Senior High Youth Group - Holy Disciples. My goal is to be as accessible as possible and I am looking forward to this year.